Merry Christmas, Darling
by sunnymadden
Summary: The heartwarming night before Christmas set in season three. Coach, Diane and Sam are the only ones present in this story with a slight mention of Frasier. Merry Early Christmas!


It was Christmas Eve once again and the last of the troops paraded out at closing time. For now it was just Sam, Diane and Coach who were left at the bar. They were doing their last quick clean up before they were ready to call it another Christmas for the books. Coach was still wiping the rims of the glasses while Diane was setting up the stools on top of the bar. She volunteered for this particular assignment because she didn't feel that Coach was up for this task. She had a feeling that he wasn't feeling very good and she also had a feeling that the others at the bar had felt the same. Of course nobody would come right out and say it, and Coach would never admit it, so they just went about their lives as usual.

"Hey, Honey," Coach speaks up in a sudden that makes Diane jump a little. She was just consumed of wanting to get out of there that she put herself in a zone.

"Yeah?"

"Come here," he says waving his hand at her from behind the bar. She is hesitant at first but does as she's told. What in the world was this all about?

"I got you a present," he says handing her a little package with purple wrapping paper on it.

"For me!" She exclaims in legitimate surprise. "Why, Coach, you didn't have to do that!"

"I wanted to, Honey," he says nudging the present into her hands. "Go on and open it!"

She smiles excitedly and tears open the pretty paper to see what was inside. This must really be something if Coach is so excited about her reaction. It was a copy of_ To Kill a Mockingbird_. What a lovely book! She hadn't read this in ages! Tears of gratitude well up in her eyes and she gives Coach a hug. She can feel Coach melt into her embrace and it was just so sweet. It felt like one of her father's hugs.

"You know why I gave you that?" He asks not breaking the hug.

"No. Why?" Was Diane's reply with no intention of letting go, either.

"Remember when your first night you were here with that creep?"

"Yeah," she says finally letting go to get a look at her dear friend.

"Well, I mentioned a novel that I might finish and you asked me if I was writing one..."

"This was the book?!" Diane exclaims with a gasp.

"I finally finished," he proclaims with a proud grin on his face. "You helped me."

"I helped you?"

"Yeah. I didn't understand it at first but you came along and it started to make sense. You're a lot like that little girl you know."

"You think I'm like Scout Finch?"

"Sure! You are very smart and very sweet. You reminded me of her and that's what got me through that book."

It was one of those rare times where Diane was rendered speechless. They exchanged kisses and only then were they able to tell each other Merry Christmas and get ready to leave. Coach was heading out the door while Diane sat down to change from flats to boots. It has been snowing all day long and it must have been really piled up. She didn't look up to give Coach one last good night.

"Stand up, Diane, Coach is passing."

"What?!" A shocked Diane turned to see Sam standing at the office doorway with a big smile on his face. She held her hand to her heart and stood as she watched Coach walk up the stairs and into the night.

"Sam Malone," Diane said in a wonderous tone. "You've read _To Kill a Mockingbird_?"

"No, but it was one helluva movie," he says with a giggle and a hand clap.

"I'm out of here," she says walking out. "Merry Christmas..."

"Wait!"

"What?"

"Come here," he says gesturing for her to come back in. Oh, she just wanted to go back home. She was tired and wanted to go home to Frasier. He was waiting for her and they were going to have a merry Christmas night under the covers. Yet, like with Coach, she goes back in to see what's up. He opens his arms to her and she accepts them. She shouldn't have done so. She's ready to melt into him and not in the patriachal way of Coach, either.

"Merry Christmas, Sweetheart."

"Merry Christmas," she says trying to take it in but not for too breaks away but still offers him a friendly kiss on the cheek. He returns the favor as he massages her hair. There was something about a hair massage that made Diane giddy and Sam knew it.

"I'm sorry I don't have much of anything for you this year," she said in a sorry tone.

"Hey," he says taking her face in his hands. "A couple of months ago you gave me my life back. You helped me get sober and that is the best thing I couldv'e gotten."

"You allowing me to come back was your present to me," she says in agreement.

"Hey," he says letting go of her face. "Look at us being on the same page and stuff!"

She manages a smile and turns on her heels to walk out. An exchange of Merry Christmas' and Good Nights and Diane was finally free. Sam looked on as she walked up the stairs. When she was out of sight he turned the lights off, locked the door, and went home to himself.


End file.
